If you are wondering if your dental concern is worth calling the office about, the short answer is YES. We encourage you to communicate early with Dr. Ferguson or Dr. Cocchia who will be able to help you determine if your concern requires a visit to the office or emergency dental treatment. Ferguson Dental has also embraced teledentistry technology which allows for a virtual visit with a doctor to diagnose dental concerns remotely. The process is easy and we are able to text you a link to a secure virtual environment.

When it is necessary to schedule an appointment, Ferguson Dental has made significant investments to facilitate emergency dental treatment in a safe environment utilizing appropriate PPE and advanced air filtration along with additional safety procedures and policies. Our safety protocols include, but are not limited to, express check-in from your car, health screening prior to entering the office, limited contact with office staff or other patients, sterilized instruments and a clean, sanitized environment, and virtual, express check-out. Please note, these additional precautions will also be implemented when we are able to schedule routine and elective dental appointments.

The ADA and NJ State Dental board has issued guidelines for dental treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to follow those guidelines for the safety of our patients, staff and community. The information below is a summary of the current ADA guidelines for treating dental emergencies.

Dental concerns are rarely severe or life threatening. Situations that are a true health emergency require immediate treatment in an hospital emergency room. These include:

• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Severe infection and swelling that make it difficult to breath or swallow
• Trauma involving facial bones that compromise the ability to breath
  

Urgent dental care focuses on the management of conditions that require attention to relieve pain and/or risk of infection and to alleviate the burden on hospital emergency departments. These dental concerns should be treated as minimally invasively as possible. Emergency dental treatment is available at Ferguson Dental Associates. Please contact us if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Dental Pain
• Wisdom tooth pain and/or gum infection
• Dry sockets
• Abscess, or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling
• Tooth fracture resulting in pain or causing soft tissue trauma
• Dental trauma resulting in a loose or knocked out tooth
• Broken crown or bridge
• Abnormal tissue or lesion in the mouth requiring an evaluation or biopsy

Other urgent emergency dental procedures:

• Extensive dental caries or defective restorations causing pain
• Suture removal
• Denture adjustments or repairs when function is impeded, related to pain, or medical conditions
• Root canal treatment for patients experiencing pain
• Snipping or adjustment of an orthodontic wire or appliances creating pain or discomfort
• Dental treatment that is required prior to critical medical procedures

We are not currently treating routine or non-urgent dental procedures. These include but are not limited to:

• Initial or periodic oral examinations and recall visits, including routine radiographs
• Routine dental cleaning and preventive therapies
• Orthodontic procedures other than those to address acute issues (e.g. pain, infection, trauma) or other issues critically necessary to prevent harm to the patient
• Extraction of asymptomatic teeth
• Restorative dentistry including treatment of asymptomatic cavities
• Aesthetic dental procedures